Wan Azizah announcing the party’s new line-up yesterday. With her is Anwar. — Picture by Jack Ooi
Yesterday, party president Wan Azizah announced the appointment of Thamrin Zaini to replace Azmin as the new Sabah chief,
Anwar was present to receive 1,000 membership forms of Batu Caves MIC members from Dr Streram Sinnasamy, the former MIC branch head in Petaling Jaya Selatan.
The decision to form a National Integration Council for Sabah and Sarawak made at today’s PKR leaders’ meeting in Tropicana should be a welcome move. It puts to rest any rumours of serious disputes among leaders in these key frontline states. It is unity time for PKR, as it must be readied to face the challenges from a resurgent UMNO-BN(?).
The closing of the ranks is, therefore, timely. Now PKR can focus on getting the machinery in good repair for future elections and mobilising ground support. People in Sabah and Sarawak want change and would welcome the new politics of integration. It is worthy to note leaders in both these states have a big say in how PKR is being managed there. They, however, must show goodwill and solidarity and work for the progress of Sabahans and Sarawakians.
Some major changes have also been made in Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu, Perak, Federal Territory and Malacca. Hopefully with these changes, PKR is in position to recruit new members, and further strengthen its grassroots machinery in these states. PKR President Dato Seri Wan Azizah is to be congratulated for responding promptly to developments in Sabah and Sarawak.
The National Integration Council should be able to function effectively since it was formed with the support and cooperation of leaders there. Cooperation is absolutely essential between leaders if PKR is to make its presence felt in East Malaysia.—Din Merican
PKR forms National Integration Council for Sabah and Sarawak
October 25, 2009
PKR forms National Integration Council for Sabah and Sarawak
by Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani
PKR moved today to put behind the rising discontent in East Malaysia when it appointed a new state chief for Sabah and also formed a National Integration Council for Sabah and Sarawak.
Thamrin Zaini was appointed the new Sabah chief, replacing Azmin Ali after leaders from the state had threatened a revolt recently over the latter’s leadership.
But the party hopes that the formation of the new National Integration Council with senior leaders from the state and also from the peninsular will be a more permanent solution to help improve ties with the two East Malaysian states.
Among the leaders appointed to the council are Dr Jeffrey Kitingan as coordinator, and Daniel Tajem from Sarawak, Dr Syed Husin Ali and Dr Toh Kin Woon.
PKR chieftains in both states were in open revolt and were demanding that local leaders be appointed to head the party.
In Sabah, factions aligned to the appointed party vice-president Jeffrey had launched a mutiny against Azmin by submitting a memorandum which, among other matters, claimed that Azmin had under-performed.
But after PKR’s national leadership met today for four hours, party president Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail announced that both vice-president Azmin and Mustafa Kamil Ayub would be replaced as Sabah and Sarawak chiefs.
Azmin has been replaced by local man Thamrin, who is Libaran assemblyman, and Mustafa was replaced by local lawyer Baru Bian.
PKR President Dato Seri Wan Azizah
Wan Azizah denied that Azmin’s removal was due to pressure from PKR Sabah.
“There was not any issue of revolt. We had a meeting and they agreed to give me the mandate to choose ( Sabah’s party chief) and they will support my decision,” she told reporters at PKR headquarters in Tropicana here.
Both Azmin and Mustafa Kamal Ayub have been reappointed as party chiefs of Federal Territory and Perak respectively.
Wan Azizah also anounced that Penang deputy chief minister Dr. Mansor Othman would replace Datuk Zahrain Mohammad Hashim as Penang’s new party chief with Abd Rahman Yusof as Terengganu chief, and PKR election director Saifuddin Nasution as Kelantan chief. PKR Youth chief Syamsul Iskandar would also be replacing Khalid Jafaar as Melaka party chief.
Party de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim denied that Azmin reportedly resigned from his Sabah post earlier this week.
“Azmin Ali and Mustafa Kamil Ayub were given the task ( to lead Sabah and Sarawak) till the end of October,” he told reporters at PKR headquarters in Tropicana here.
In a bid to make headway in both states, which are crucial vote banks for Barisan National (BN), ahead of the next national elections, Anwar took over the leadership of both states in March.
However in May, both Mustaffa and Azmin were handpicked to lead the party in the two states.
The unilateral move by Anwar to appoint Malay leaders from the peninsula, which was supposedly a temporary measure to consolidate the party in East Malaysia, had backfired.
In an effort to help mend the strained relationship between the party’s east and west Malaysian members, the party announced the formation of a National Integration Council for Sabah and Sarawak.
The appointment of Thamrin Zaini as Sabah’s PKR chief was made after consultation and discussion with Ansari, Dr. Jeffery and other leaders. The same approach was adopted in Sarawak where Lawyer Baru Bian (a non-Dayak) is the new PKR chief. It has nothing to do with race or religion.
Focus should now be on the National Integration Council where Dr. Jeffery is the coordinator. Let us give this new set-up a little time, and lots of support and understanding it will need to focus on getting our party machinery in Sabah and Sarawak in good shape and united in common purpose.
The strength of PKR is its ability to make changes and adapt to the requirements of the situation. Based on my two year stint with PKR, I find Anwar Ibrahim and top leadership to be open to fresh ideas and suggestions from the ground.
PKR is evolving and adapting as fast as it can. It is a young and dynamic set-up; nothing is left to chance and nothing is cast in stone. PKR can re-engineer its organization whenever required. Without much fanfare,for example, it has amended its constitution (ahead of UMNO) to be even more democratic and grassroots driven.—Din Merican
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